October 2nd, 2009 
Chance Stevens 
With the increased use of the web as a gateway to video content, more and more people are turning to Home Theater Portable Computers (HTPCs) as a way of centralizing their viewing experience. The idea is that by using an HDMI input from the computer to the HDTV you’re able to take the web and make it bigger. This will take you from watching Hulu, TV.com, YouTube, or Netflix video on your laptop to being able to do it with the whole family from your livingroom.
There are lots of ways of going about this. One is through the use of a small form factor desktop, similar to the Acer Aspire X1200. Another way is through a “nettop,” like the ASRock ION 330. Both retail for $349, have HDMI inputs and will allow you to watch HD web video on your 720p or 1080p HDTV.
Let’s look at the two side by side and see which one comes out on top:
Size – The ASRock ION 330 has the following specs, 195mm (W) x 70mm (H) x 186mm (L) while the X1200 is 246mm (W) x 99mm (H) x 315mm (L). Both are smaller than a Tivo and about the size of a cable modem or router, but the ASRock ION 330 is definitely more tiny. Advantage: ASRock ION 330
Strength – The key to having an HTPC is knowing that you’ll be able to watch high quality streaming video without having to wait for it. Providing that you have the bandwidth, the video card and processor are going to be the two greatest possible points of failure. With the ASRock ION, you’re getting a Dual Core Intel Atom 330 processor. The bad thing here is that there isn’t much software optimized for this and in tests it was found to perform the same if not worst than a single core Atom. Its saving grace is the built in 9400M video card which will handle most of the duties when it comes to watching video on the web. The X1200 uses a 2.5Ghz AMD Athon 64 X2 and pairs it with an Nvidia 8200 video card. 9400 is higher than 8200 and the 9400 is better suited to handle 1080p but with the additional speed from the processor the X1200 will not only be great at streaming video on the web but will also allow you to copy DVD, transfer files, or play games much better. Advantage: Acer X1200
Storage – The X1200 features a 500GB 7200RPM hard drive while the ASRock ION 330 gives you a 320GB 5400RPM drive. This means that not only will you be able to store more with the X1200 but you’ll be able to retrieve your data faster. Advantage: Acer X1200
Power Consumption – Intel focused the Atom processor on low power components. The AMD Athlon 64 X2 has a total dissipation of power of 45W while the Atom processor will only use 4W. Even though both are considerably less than that of a HDTV penny pinchers will pick ASRock. Advantage: ASRock ION 330
Verdict – It’s sooo touch to call this one. The two have their strong suits, and their weaknesses. I can see someone making either one a great addition to their home. However, there can only be one winner, and I’m going to have to give it to Acer. It’s a little long in the tooth with the video card but every other specs has this machine ready to power your HD streaming and storing for years to come.
ASRock information courtesy of Newegg.com [Learn more]
Acer Aspire X1200 information courtesy of TigerDirect.com [Learn more]
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One important thing, when talking about having a computer in your livingroom, that you didn’t mention is the noise generated. Which is most silent?
Dajomu – good question. The ASRock ION 330 is going to be the quietest even thought many people are very happy with the X1200. Since it users an Atom processor, you’re not going to have to worry too much about it generating a bunch of heat and needing to be cooled. If complete silence is really important to you, you should definitely check out the ASRock.
One thing, which is quite important for a lot of HTPC users (me included) is the fact that I don’t want to see any box anywhere. And this is where Atom 330 + ION shines. I have mine hanging on my TV’s VESA mounts. Add to that Wireless N and I can easily stream data. Perfect.
Next – if someone is building an HTPC, why would they want to bother with DVD burning, game playing, etc? I think these points are too far fetched and are not real life scenarios.
And transfer files “faster on AMD”?!?! Where did this come from? How is a processor relates to file transfer speed?
Why would one want huge and loud HDD in an HTPC? Again – low noise and low power consumption! Also 500Gb is not much bigger than 320Gb. So, fail on this too.
HDD speed? Are you talking about some sort of high availability system here? No! Hence no difference between 5400 and 7200 RPM for an average user with average tasks.
Please, think about particular use before comparing systems like that.
Alex, I definitely hear what you’re saying. When it comes down to it, I wanted to show people that if you’re willing to drop $350 on a mini-computer it makes sense to compare what the options are because usually the most popular product will be the one everyone talks about meanwhile other options get shoved under the carpet.
I actually just bought a Intel Quad Core setup and the computer makes less noise than the DVD player I currently have. If it weren’t a full ATX tower I’d have it hooked up to my TV and use it for my HTPC needs. Everyone has different levels of what makes for “noise” and knowing you can start with a larger more powerful unit and upgrade along the way may be a better deal for them.
Thank you for sharing your opinion, but Acer sells these because it fills a need. You may not get it since you love what you have but a lot of other people may disagree with how strongly you feel about an ION HTPC.